Drexel, NC truck route planning & crash data
Plan safer truck routes in Drexel: commercial truck and garbage truck crashes in Drexel and Burke County, dangerous roads, seasonality and route safety data for fleets. Patterns use Burke County numbers.
Where fatal truck crashes happened
Risk scorecard
Key findings
Snapshot
Crashes by month
Garbage trucks vs all trucks
16 of 652 truck crashes since 2015.
Deadliest roads
How Burke County compares with North Carolina
Burke County against North Carolina and the US, 2015–2025 (years with complete crash reporting). Per-resident rates make big and small places comparable.
Where Burke County stands out
Full comparison
| Measure (2015–2025) | Burke County | North Carolina | United States | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crashes per 100k residents / yr | 64.3 | 61.3 | 49.7 | same |
| Deaths per 100 crashes | 2.2 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 12% below the state |
| Injuries per crash | 0.61 | 0.66 | 0.49 | 8% below the state |
| Garbage-truck share | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.3% | same |
| On snow, slush or ice | 1.9% | 1.7% | 6.2% | 1.1× the state |
| Morning rush (6–10 am) | 20.9% | 24.0% | 23.7% | 13% below the state |
| In rain, sleet or snow | 12.8% | 10.5% | 13.8% | 1.2× the state |
| Winter months (Nov–Mar) | 39.0% | 41.0% | 41.9% | same |
| After dark | 21.1% | 20.4% | 24.8% | same |
Burke County has lower values than North Carolina for deaths per 100 crashes, injuries per crash and morning rush (6–10 am). Where it is higher: on snow, slush or ice and in rain, sleet or snow.
What stands out in Drexel: I-40 most fatal truck crashes within 10 miles of Drexel: 5 since 2015.
Overview
Since 2015, 652 crashes involving commercial trucks have been reported in Burke County. They injured 400 people and killed 14.
In complete reporting years that works out to about one truck crash every 6 days.
Only 12 truck crashes were reported in Drexel since 2015; patterns below come from Burke County as a whole.
When crashes happen
Truck crashes peak in October (11.7% of the year) and are lowest in April (5.1%).
The five winter months (November to March) hold 39.0% of truck crashes, against 41.0% across North Carolina.
More truck crashes happen at 3–4 pm than at any other hour (9.8%).
1.9% of truck crashes here happened on snow, slush or ice, against 1.7% across North Carolina.
Where crashes happen
The deadliest road for trucks within 10 miles of Drexel is I-40, with 5 fatal large-truck crashes since 2015. Next come Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd (2), US-64 (2) and SR-1159 (1).
Garbage & waste trucks
Garbage and refuse trucks were involved in 16 crashes, 2.5% of the total, against 2.6% across North Carolina.
Route planning tips for Drexel fleets
- Build extra time into October routes: it has the most truck crashes here.
- Check whether your routes use I-40, the road with the most fatal truck crashes in this area.
- With 1.9% of truck crashes on snow, slush or ice (above North Carolina), plan winter equipment checks early.
- Check your own stops for crash hotspots and low bridges with the free Route Planner.
About the data
This report uses the FMCSA crash file (reported crashes of trucks over 10,000 lb) and NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes). It reports the numbers without guessing at reasons.
Truck crashes by year: all trucks vs garbage trucks
Seasonality: when trucks crash in Burke County
By hour of day
Most dangerous roads for trucks
| Road | Fatal truck crashes since 2015 (within 10 miles) |
|---|---|
| I-40 | 5 |
| Ssr-1933 Southwest Blvd | 2 |
| US-64 | 2 |
| SR-1159 | 1 |
| SR-18 | 1 |
| Ssr-1001 Connelly Springs Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1145 Virginia St | 1 |
| Ssr-1404 Beecher Anderson Rd | 1 |
| Ssr-1786 Miller Bridge Rd | 1 |
| US-321 | 1 |
Roads named most in all truck crash reports
| Road | Truck crashes since 2015 (Burke County) |
|---|---|
| Burkemont Ave | 11 |
| W Fleming Dr | 10 |
| Sanford Dr | 8 |
| S Sterling St | 7 |
| N Green St | 7 |
| Main St | 7 |
| Kirksey Dr | 5 |
| Carbon City Rd | 4 |
Drexel at a glance
| Population | 1,777 |
| Land area | 1.4 sq mi |
| Density | 1,286 per sq mi |
| Median household income (ZIP 28619) | $34,881 |
| Median home value (ZIP 28619) | $198,925 |
Waste facilities and haulers nearby
Historical data: truck crashes in Burke County since the 1990s
Combines the FMCSA crash file (all reported truck crashes, real coverage from about 1990) with NHTSA FARS (fatal crashes involving a large truck, 1982–2024).
| Decade | Truck crashes / yr | Change | Fatal crashes / yr (FARS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40 | — | 2.7 |
| 2000s | 47 | +17% | 1.5 |
| 2010s | 54 | +15% | 1.2 |
| 2020s | 50 | -8% | 1.0 |
From the 1990s to the 2020s, yearly reported truck crashes went from 40 to 50. Some of the change may reflect how crashes were reported. Fatal crashes involving a large truck averaged 2.0 a year in 2016–19 and 1.0 a year in 2020–24.
Nearby places
Questions fleets ask about Drexel
How many truck crashes happen in Drexel?
Since 2015, 652 crashes involving commercial trucks were reported in Burke County (400 injured, 14 killed).
Which road has the most fatal truck crashes in Drexel?
Since 2015, I-40 has had the most fatal large-truck crashes within 10 miles of Drexel: 5.
What is the worst month for truck crashes in Drexel?
Truck crashes in Burke County peak in October, with 11.7% of the year's crashes.
How many garbage truck crashes are there in Drexel?
Since 2015, Burke County has reported 16 garbage-truck crashes, or 2.5% of its truck crashes.
What is the truck crash rate in Drexel compared with North Carolina?
Per 100,000 residents, Burke County has 64.3 truck crashes a year; North Carolina has 61.3.
What is the best way to plan truck routes in Drexel?
The free Route Planner takes your stops and returns a route risk score, safer alternatives and low-bridge warnings.
2026 is a partial year. Updated October 2026.